Ideas & Trends

Recipes

No matter what type of operation you run or cuisine you serve, we have recipes that will stir up your own creativity and brighten up your menu. Many of these recipes have come directly from our own corporate chefs from across the country. So, whether you are looking for a new appetizer special, a Cajun-inspired burger or a simple but elegant dessert, search through our recipes to get those juices flowing.

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Good advice can be hard to find unless you know exactly where to look. Fortunately for restaurant owners, there are some excellent resources, in the form of blogs and podcasts, for every kind of restaurateur, from food truck owners to hospitality group CEOs. We’ve rounded up a few of our top picks.

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Off-site dining, whether in the form of takeout, delivery, grab & go, or catering, is a major revenue category for restaurants, and according to trend watchers, it shows no sign of slowing down. Learn more about your options for takeout.

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As tempting as it might be, quietly opening your doors and slapping an “Open” sign on the window isn’t exactly a great way to generate buzz in your community. Embrace the excitement inherent in opening a new restaurant with a strategic launch plan.

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Restaurant Week mean different things for chefs, cooks, guests, and food writers. Some cooks and servers grumble about ‘amateur diners’ who tip poorly and never return. While guests and writers sometimes complain about a lack of creativity in menus. But participating in Restaurant Week presents an opportunity to attract customers and create lifelong fans.

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Tackling the issue of food waste isn’t just about saving food from landing in the trash can, though that is certainly part of it. It’s about changing the way chefs and consumers think about food in the first place.

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To maintain or establish any profitable business, you must be aware of your changing environments and always be focused on expanding your customer base. The current generation, called Millennials, is the largest and most influential generation since the Baby Boomers. As Millennials make up 25% of the current population,* an active restaurateur should market and adapt their business to attract these new customers to their foodservice operation.

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There was a time when lobster supplies were at best, erratic. It was mostly a luxury food that wasn’t often seen on menus except as a seasonal special or in exclusive restaurants able to regularly get a small share of the limited annual supply. Fortunately, times have changed.

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Brunch. Ask any of your staff, front of house or back, and they’ll all tell you the same thing: They hate it. The problem, as a restauranteur, is can you afford to ignore it? Like it or not, brunch is a hot trend that shows no sign of letting up. Brunch creates buzz, Monday morning around the office coffee maker, and is the perfect vehicle for people who want to try your restaurant but aren’t quite ready to commit to the expense of a full dinner.

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Friends and families have always used food as a way to connect. With face-to-face interaction having fallen behind texting and instant messaging, we need food to help bridge the communication gap more than ever. By catering to an increasing number of people who are actively looking for ways to connect, you can make your operation a destination for group gatherings.

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Japan has Yakitori, China has Chuanr, and Preu has Anticuchos. But they are all essentially the same thing – meat on a stick (or as Turkey calls them – kebabs). The concept is simple and whether at a state fair, a food stall, or a restaurant, they can found across the globe.

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Mother’s Day is here again. A busy, chaotic Sunday that has leaves both front and back of house exhausted and spent. You’ve figured out how to maximize service, either with a prix fixe set menu or a miles long self serve buffet. You know how quickly you can turn those tables and hope it doesn’t rain so you can utilize your patio seating. Yep, you’re ready for the big day and set to make all those mothers feel special.

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For many, a restaurant with even the most tenuous Irish connection to St. Patrick’s Day can mean only one thing– a pretty raucous party. Green beer, cheap and ever flowing. Grab those diners who are looking for an Irish meal instead of an Irish brawl.

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The well known cuts (Filet, NY Strip, Ribeye and the like) are in high demand and demand higher prices. If the rest of your menu hovers around $20 for an entree, a $30 steak is going to cause a little sticker shock.

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Fries.They’re possibly the quintessential American food, available from drive-throughs all the way up to Michelin-starred hotspots. They are easily made from scratch, but also available in endless permutations in frozen form. The side to many a dish, sometimes for nearly every dish on a menu.

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Pasta dishes have long been found in places other than Italian restaurants. The problem, many of these pasta dishes mean overcooked spaghetti with a sauce that’s taste could be best described as “red.” Times have changed and consumers now demand something a little better. Al dente is the buzz word and sauces aren’t there to drown the pasta, but rather to gently accentuate it either alone or as the backdrop for exciting and interesting fresh ingredients. It doesn’t hurt that, whether house-made or dry packaged, pasta is inexpensive and a boon to razor thin margins. So, if Italian isn’t your thing, how do you get a great pasta dish in front of your diners?

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As customers get more into the holiday spirit, they look for flavors that really celebrate the season. In fact, serving fall- and winter-inspired dishes can inspire sales—customers will be more likely to indulge in a flavor they might not get again after the next month or two. Luckily, we have a variety of desserts in festive flavors. Add a few to your menu for instant seasonal success.

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The holiday season is big business for restaurants. To make sure you're prepared we've gathered some of our best articles with tips and tricks to get you through the madness. Browse below for serving ideas, tips for attracting holiday business, easy-but-special serving ideas and all sorts of inspiration to boost you through the end of the year.

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As the days grow shorter and a little chillier, tastes shift from summer’s light and refreshing to fall’s heavier, denser flavors. Squash immediately comes to mind, but far too often only as a dusty display on the credenza. A plate is really where a squash belongs, the trick is figuring out what to do with it.

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Superfoods. Some claim these ingredients have extraordinary, restorative powers—able to detoxify while providing the body with all manner of vitamin and mineral is substantive doses. Others say, meh, they’re good but not magical. Regardless of which theory you ascribe to, there’s no denying some of these so-called superfoods are hot menu items, especially among those who are more diet conscious.

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Fried, grilled or tossed into a colorful salad, squid is versatile and affordable while lending itself perfectly to platter size dishes to share with family and friends. Not to mention, with a little imagination, it’s better tasting and better for your customers during half time than that old plate of fried mozzarella sticks.

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Diners today are much more health conscious. Leaner cuts with less fat are all the rage. So, of course, one of the hottest cuts of meat these days is… pork belly. Serve indulgent West Creek Pork Belly across your menu for flavor success in a variety of dishes.

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When you think burgers, your mind probably immediately goes to beef. And when we say "alternative," you probably think of chicken, turkey, or maybe veggie. But don't forget the other white meat, pork. Ground pork can add plenty of flavor and juicy texture to any burger combination.

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For meat eaters looking for something a little lighter, ground turkey or chicken make great substitutes for a beef patty. The lighter flavors also mean you can doctor up the grind to create some interesting tastes.

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Dense and filling, plus high in protein, black bean patties make for an excellent burger without the meat. They are also a great vehicle for customizing the taste, from herbaceous and fresh with cilantro to jacked up on spices with cayenne or peppers like Poblano.

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As the weather gets hotter and we dive into summer, your customers are starting to crave the sweet, refreshing tastes that fruit can offer. It's time to put some ripe, juicy flavors on your menu to entice your customers and drive sales during this hot weather! Sweet Encore can help you with that. From apple blossom to pineapple, these desserts capture the flavors of summer in every bite.

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Soft, fluffy dough enrobed in a crusty, golden brown exterior then gently sprinkled with just the right touch of salt, the soft pretzel is pretty perfect as is. And did we mention our Rye Street Soft Pretzels are hand-twisted in Brooklyn, New York for the ideal texture and flavor?

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As playoffs lead up to the Big Game, you've got a big chance to draw crowds into your restaurant. Here's your playbook. We've collected our best articles and ideas for football parties and collected them below for your inspiration.

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Sure Welsh rarebit sounds a little like something that would have shown up on a menu in Camelot, but we’ve got a secret for you—it’s basically toast with amazingly delicious, melty, cheese sauce smothered all over it. Who doesn’t want to eat that for brunch? Wacky name aside, it's easy to see why the dish is making a comeback on brunch menus across the country. We think you should give it a shot.

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More often than not during the holidays, the main protein is always the talk of the table, and is always beautifully presented before it is carved and shared by all. And whether it’s a flavorful prime rib, a sweet glazed ham, or a perfectly browned turkey breast that makes the cut, all are wonderful ways to feed a large group, and also a great way to bring lots of satisfied “oohs!” and “mmms!” to your customers’ palates.

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With the holiday season rolling around, you’re going to have lots of guests dining at your establishment for special meals, be they celebrations for two or a larger parties. Giving a small treat for your guests to take home will surprise, delight and keep your restaurant in the customer’s mind after the meal.

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Pizza shows up on one third of all restaurant menus, and while in a 2014 Datassential study 40 percent of consumers reported that pepperoni was their favorite topping, restaurants are going way beyond that. And, pizza isn’t just for pizzerias anymore. Today pizza and variations on the theme are showing up anywhere from Italian restaurants to trend-forward eateries. In honor of National Pizza Month, we’re rounding up some of the latest pizza trends.

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Whether or not you're staying open on July 4th, your customers will be looking to get in the holiday spirit for the days leading up to and following America's biggest holiday. Serve up a Red, White and Blue Cheeseburger for a fun, spirit-filled special.

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Serving seafood during Lent means big money for your business. In fact, several studies have shown that restaurants who offer seafood specials on Fridays during those 40 days can increase seafood sales by up to 20 percent. Since seafood items are already some of your higher dollar menu items, this is a good time to get creative with your menu and see serious results.

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Whether you're getting ready for football or just looking to spice up your menu, we have six fresh wing sauces for you to try out on your menu with your favorite chicken wings. When making wings, we suggest starting with our Roma® Wingzz (bone-in), Roma® Wyngz (boneless), or our West Creek® Wings.

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I can walk into almost any restaurant and guess what’s on the Children’s Menu without even looking and I bet you can too! It is possible to offer some healthy options without chasing away your youngest clients. You can introduce super foods into the menu without being overly obvious.

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The holidays are over. Indulgence has been the theme for many of us. That extra serving of pie or stuffing that brought a smile to our face has now caused some of our pants to fit just a little tighter. For many of us, now is the time to look for lighter fare to satisfy our palate. Instead of excitement, most of us dread the thought. We relate eating healthy as a need or even a punishment, not a joy. There is no reason to feel this way! With some creativity and understanding, healthy can be something to be very excited about—dare I say joyous.

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Game day will not be perfect without great food, close friends (old customers), new customers, and the newest tv. For those of us hosting the party, wings, ordinary chips and dip just will not cut it. Serving the same old food is like a fumble on the three yard line instead of scoring the winning touchdown.

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French Fries are used to the spotlight. Whether served on a plate alone in the purest fashion with just a sprinkle of salt and a side of ketchup, or combined with a variety of other flavors and served as an appetizer to share, French fries are a welcome addition to your menu, and a common order for your customers.

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Pesto sauce is capable of many things – first and foremost it’s important to realize that even the smallest dab of this flavorful sauce can transform a dish into something really special. Garlic, basil, and olive oil, what’s not to love? Our Roma line of pesto sauces has a plethora of flavors to keep your dishes fresh and your flavors bold.

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Use our Flour 101 Guide to help you learn about the many types of flour, and the best uses and practices for each one. A simple change-up might be just what your bread or cake needs to get it to just the right texture.

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Despite several regional differences in cuisines across the country, there are a few dishes that always have mass appeal, regardless of time of year or location. Whether you’re at the beach in the Carolinas, seeing for yourself whether or not everything is really ‘bigger in Texas’, or gazing in wonder at the expanse of the Pacific, it’s never a bad time to take a bite of a burger.

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Variety is a beautiful thing. A change in the seasons each year can allow for a change-up to your menu, and we all know that your favorite patrons are always looking for new favorite dishes to interest and inspire their palates. Here are some great ways to market some on-season desserts in your establishment, and hopefully increase your check averages each time a piece of cake or pie sounds too delicious to pass up.

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Starters, whether they are appetizers that can be shared amongst a whole table, or small plates that consist of just a bite or two of perfectly mixed flavors, are a great way to get your patrons off to a great meal that they’ll remember.

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Stuck in a rut when it comes to pasta? Try some of these innovative ideas out on your customers - they are sure to grab some attention on any menu. From Italian Nachos (made from pasta sheets) to Gnocchi for breakfast - we will have you rethinking and repurposing pasta in ways you never thought possible!

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Embrace the Many Benefits of Olive Oil. Drizzle it on an antipasto. Mix it into a salad dressing. Lightly saute it with garlic and toss it with a pasta dish...the uses of olive oil are endless, and as we all know, delicious. But how much do you really know about this popular oil? Make sure you're well informed of the best olive oils to use in your dishes, and the differences between the many types.

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Deep frying is considered a Dry Heat Method of cooking. It uses heat conduction and natural convection to transfer heat to food submerged in fat. Thus begins that golden brown delight known as deep fried food.